JUAN Manuel Gouveia-Aguilera, a 27-year-old Venezuelan national, was sentenced to 8 years in prison for his involvement in an ATM jackpotting scheme that caused over $3.5 million in losses. This sentence is reportedly the longest federal term for such activities. Gouveia-Aguilera pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including bank fraud and cyber-enabled fraud. His sentencing followed similar prison terms for two other Venezuelans implicated in the scheme, linked to the Tren de Aragua terrorist organization.
The FBI has noted a rise in malware-enabled ATM jackpotting, with approximately 1,900 incidents reported since 2020, resulting in over $20 million in losses.